Gas-regulator.



J. C. GROBLE.

GAS REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. me.

LQ8L56QW Patented w 15, 1918.

JACOB G. GROBLE'OIF ANDERSON, INDIANA.

GAS-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters lPatent.

Patented Got. 15, 1318.

Application filed February 26, 1918. Serial No. 219,209.

had to the a'ccom anying drawings, in which like numerals re er to like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in gas pressure regulators, and particularly of the automatic type, and the prime feature of the invention is the provision of a removable valve. A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for quickly attaching or removing the valve from a supporting lever. 4

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for adjustably attaching the valve to the lever. A further feature of the invention is the manner in which the valve attaching mechanism is secured to the valve.

A further feature of the invention is providing means on the valve attaching mechanism for preventing rotation of the valve. A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for attaching the valve suspending lever to the walls of the regulator, and a further feature of the invention is the provision of means for quickly gaining access to the part of the regulator in which the valve is situated.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims v Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view through the regulator as seen on line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the regulator, as seen on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view as seen on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the valve as seen on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section of the lever supporting rod.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a trap frame of a gas pressure regulator, which is of the usual form, comprising a lower section 2 and a top section 3, saidsections having peripheral flanges 4 and 5 respectively, and said sections are so arranged as to form a cavity 6.

The lower section 2 has a depressed portion 7 which forms a laterally extending channel 8, which channel projects beyond one edge of the frame 1 and terminates in a sleeve 9, the upper and lower ends of which are interiorly threaded for engagement with the pipe line (not shown). Immediately above the lower threaded portion of the sleeve within the interior thereof, is abridge 10, into which is threaded a thimble 11, the upper end of the thimble terminating in a seat 12 for the reception of a valve 13. The lower face of the valve 13 is provided with a packing 14 of leather, fiber or other suitable material, so as to form aperfect union with the seat and stop the flow of gas through the thimble.

The valve 13 is suspended from one end of the lever 15, said lever being pivotally mounted within the channel 8 through the medium of a pivot pin 16, which is extended through one wall of the sleeve 9, a lug 17 integral with the wall of the sleeve, through the lever adjacent the end carrying the valve 13, and into :1 lug 18 carried by the opposite wall of the sleeve, and in order to obviate the use of packing to prevent leakage around the end of the pin extending through the lug 17, a tapered screw or plug 19 is threaded into a fillet 20 on the outer face of the sleeve 9, said screw having a socket 21 to receive one end of the pin 16.

By this construction it will be seen that by turning the screw inwardly until it is perfectly tight in the opening in the fillet, no gas can escape around the pin as the opposite end of the pin does not extend entirely through the lug 18.

The lever 15 is designed to be rocked upon the pin 16 to move the valve 13 toward or from the seat 12 in accordance with the pressure of the gas passing through the pipe line. and to properly regulate the rocking movement of the lever, the inner end thereofus brought to a point substantially at the axial center of the trap frame .1, where it is pivotally attached to ears 22 attached to and epending from a diaphragm 23. the peripheral edges of the diaphragm being impinge between the flanges 4 and5 and as the body of the diaphragm is raised or lowered, according to the increased or decreased pressure of the gas within the trap, the valve 13 will be correspondingly lowered or raised with respect to the seat 12 to lessen or increase the flow of gas through the thimble.

In view of the fact that the diaphragm is affected by cold or heat, means is provided for maintaining the yielding qualities of the diaphragm substantlally uniform under all conditions, comprising a plate 23 which is attached to the upper side of the diaphragm 23, by means of a screw 23. This plate is of the proper size and weight to give a certain outlet pressure and in addition to the diaphragm plate, a spring 241 is attached at one end to the head of the screw 23 that holds the diaphragm plate in place and the other end to the pressure screw 25 threaded through an aperture 26 in the top wall 3, and by turning the pressure screw 25 to the right the outlet pressure may be increased or by turning the screw 25 to the left will reduce the outlet pressure. When the regulator is adjusted to the proper outlet pressure, it will maintain a uniform pressure.

That end of the lever 15 carrying the valve 13 is provided with a lip 27 through which extends ah adjusting screw 28, said screw being threaded through the lip so that by rotating the screw it may be moved upwardly or downwardly to properly adjust the valve with respect to the seat 12. The lower end of the screw 28 is provided with a perlpheral groove 29, thus formin a head 30 at the lower end of the screw wit which engages a hanger 31 attached to the valve 13. The hanger 31 is preferably formed of a single piece of wire, although it can be constructed in any preferred manner but when formed of a wire the central portion thereof is bent to form slightly more than a semicircular snap section 32, the ends of the wires being then bent outwardly and extended a distance horizontally, when they are bent downwardly and the free ends 33 extended in horizontal plane a distancebelow the horizontal sections 34. in line with the snap section 32. These ends 33 are entered 1n recesses 35 formed in the top' of the valve 13 and are then brazed to'the valve, thus permanently securing the hanger to the valve.

The ends 33 of the hanger project a distance beyond the peripheral edge of the valve and pass to one side of the guide block 36 formed integral with the lever 15 below the lip 17, said ends 33 when positioned on opposite sides of the guide block preventing rotation of the valve while at the same time said valve may be raised. or lowered by means of the adjusting screw 28.

The object in forming the hanger in this manner is to provide means for quickly removing one valve and attaching another in its place, and owing to the formation of the snap sections 32 on the hanger, it is but necessary to place the curved sections of the members 3% against the reduced portion of the adjusting screw 28 formed by the groove 29, and then directing inward pressure on the valve, thus causing the snap section to open until it is positioned around the reduced portion of the adjusting screw, and owing to the curvature of the snap section it will be permanently held in engagement with the adjusting screw until such time as force is applied to remove the same.

In the form of regulators as now used it is necessary to shut off the flow of gas entirely and removethe entire regulator and take the same to the shop in order to repair the same, thus cutting off the supply of gas for a considerable length of time, but with this device the gas is only shut off for a very short space of time, and all that is necessary to repair the valve is to remove the worn or damaged valve and introduce a new one in its place. To quickly accomplish this result the sleeve 9 is provided with an opening 37 which is normally covered with a cap 38, said cap being held in position in any suitable manner, as by means of bolts 39.

In removing the damaged valve and introducing a new one in its place, the gas is shut off through the pipe line and the bolts 39 um screwed and the cap 38 removed, when the fingers or an implement may be introduced into the opening and the valve removed, and

a new One instantly introduced in place thereof. The cap is then replaced over the opening 37 and secured in place by the bolts 39, when the gas may be again turned on, and as this operation requires but a very few minutes, the customer is deprived of the use of the gas but a very short time.

The invention claimed is 1. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination with a frame structure, a lever pivotally mounted in said frame structure, and means to rock said lever on its pivot, of a thimble carried by the frame and having a seat, a valve for cooperation with the seat, adjustable means carried by one end of the lever, and a spring actuated hanger earned by the valve adapted to extend on opposite sides of and frictionally engage said adjustable means for removably engaging the valve with the lever, parts of the hanger resting on parts of the adjustable means for holding the valve against tilting action.

2. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination with a pivotally mounted lever, of a valve, an adjustable member carried by the lever, and a hanger having a central looped section open at its forward portion adapted to pass on opposite sides of the adjustable member to removably attach the valve tohaving a snap section adapted to friction-' ally engage said adjusting screw above the head to removably secure the valve to the screw parts of said snap section resting on said head to support the valve in a horizontal position, and means to prevent rotation of the .valve.

4. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination with a pivotally mounted lever, and a guide block integral with the lever, of a valve, a hanger attached to the valve adapted to frictionally suspend the valve from the lever, and means formed by parts of the hanger adapted to pass on opposite sides of said guide block to hold the valve against rotation.

5. In a gas pressure regulator, thecombination with a lever, a guide block integral with the lever, an adjusting screw carried by the lever, and a head at the lower end of the adjusting screw having a flat upper surface, of a valve, a hanger having a substantially circular looped section for engagement with the adjusting screw, said looped portion resting upon the flat portion of the head, said hanger having upper horizontal sections and lower horizontal sections integral with the upper horizontal sections, means to attach the lower horizontal sectlons to the valve,

the ends of the lower horizontal sections projecting beyond the valve and adapted to pass on opposlte sides of said lever to hold the valve against rotation.

6. In a gas pressure regulator, the combination with a lever having. a guide block, and an adjusting screw passing through said lever, of a valve having a pair of paralleling recesses in its upper end, a hanger formed of a single section of material and bent to form a pair of upperhorizontal sections and a pair of lower horizontal sections, the lower horizontal sections being entered in said recesses, the free ends thereof projecting a distance beyond the valve and adapted to pass on opposite sides of the guide block to hot the valve against rotation, means to secure the lower horizontal sections of the hanger in said recesses, and a substantially circular snap section integral with and between the upper horizontal sections adapted to be forced into engagement with the adjusting screw for frictlonally holding the valve to the lever.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of the witnesses herein named.

JACOB C. GROBLE.

Witnesses! CnAs. R. BAGOT, DOROTHY ()ssmvenne. 

